Put the fresh figs into a basin with enough boiling water to cover them completely, together with the juice and thinly pared rind of one or more lemons )this, of course, must depend on the quality of the figs), and let it all stand still perfectly cold. Now for every pound of fruit boil 4 oz. of coarsely crushed (cane) load sugar in half a pint of water till the sugar is quite dissolved, then drain the figs and lay them into this syrup with a sliced lemon freed from pith, and simmer all very gently together till quite tender. Let the figs get perfectly cold in the syrup, then arrange them in the dish and strain the syrup over them.
Compote of Green Figs
S. Beaty-Pownall, The "Queen" cookery books. No.7 Sweets. Part II. (London: Horace Cox, 1904)
Home Studies Collection, Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collections
The French compote consists of fruit nearly perfect in shape and colouring; swimming in a bath of luscious, delicately tinted syrup, equally fitted to enhance baby’s rice pudding, or to put the finishing touch of daintiness to a delicate riz à L’Impératrice of à la Parisienne.